Hunted
by angelthewriter
Summary: Takes place after Western Air Temple. Azula knows she should have killed her brother, so she sends her friends on a mission. Will the gaang and Zuko be put in danger? Zutara, shippin Maiko. mostly action.
1. Chapter 1

Sum: Takes place after The Western Air Temple, before The Firebending Masters. Azula knew she should've killed that traitor of a brother a long time ago, when she sends an assassin to deal with him, will the gaang be put in danger? Some zutara, mostly action/adventure. Maybe some Maiko.

Hunted.

Author's Notes: Hello again! This is my second story and I started working on this when I was working on "A Surprise". I am still not finished with that one, but will update frequently! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I don't own any characters or the show. If I did this would be the episode after The Western Air Temple.**

_In._

_Out._

_In._

_Out._

The princess was trying to calm herself. The avatar had led an invasion and her father was furious that she had lied to him. Her mouth twitched. Everything was that worthless Zuko's fault! HE was the one that had lied to HER!

_In. Out._ She continued her breathing exercises. At that moment she heard a wail from the room across from hers. In frustration she got up and forgot about keeping calm. _That has to be Mai!_, she thought angrily. Couldn't her friend just get over Zuko's betrayal?!

The day after the invasion Mai had shown her a note from Zuko that explained and apologized his leaving her. She scoffed at the memory of Mai crying over a portrait of Zuko and her. Honestly! Azula had always known Zuko was not to be trusted, but Mai had loved him forever. That had been the last straw and Azula had snatched the picture away and burned it.

She needed to find the avatar and her brother, and finish them. But she frowned, remembering that her father would not trust her to leave and start a mission at the moment.

Another wail from the room resulted in an evil smile gracing her pretty features.

Princess Azula had a plan.

* * *

Mai had hardly been able to contain the sobs threatening to slip out of her throat and she had burst out crying in front of Azula when she showed her the note. Sniffing, she slowly got up from her chair to answer the bedroom door.

She was greeted by Ty Lee who, clad in pink as always, rushed in and hugged her friend.

"Oh, my gosh! Mai, are you okay?" the acrobat looked sincerely concerned. Mai was struggling to swallow back a new set of tears and just shook her head.

"Come on, sit down and we'll talk about it." Ty Lee was seriously worried about her friend, it was so out of Mai's character to show emotions, yet she had been crying in her room for two days straight!

"W-Well", Mai started looking down, "It's just that I thought he liked me." Ty Lee nodded in understanding. Mai had had a crush on Zuko for many years, how could he just leave like that?! Anger clouded her usual happy expression. _Zuko is so mean!,_ she thought. Mai noticed and a rare smile crossed her face.

"It's okay Ty Lee; I don't want you to worry."

"No, it's not! Mai, he knew you liked him and even so he left! He even had the nerve to act jealous at the beach! Oh, how I'd like to, to do something bad to him!"

"And you'll have your chances." The two girls looked at the open door in surprise. Azula was leaning on the doorway in her crimson robe.

"What do you mean?" Mai blinked.

"I mean that you two will get your chance at revenge. I have a mission for you." Azula smiled smugly at the look of determination on Mai's face when she finally understood.

"Your wish is our command", her two friends bowed.

The princess smiled, _perfect._

Author's note: Yeah, I know it is out of Mai's character to cry or share feelings like that, but I had to. IT IS ALL PART OF THE PLAN. (smiles evilly). I will update soon!


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes: Here's the new chapter

Author's Notes: Here's the new chapter! As always, enjoy!

**Disclaimer: Hmm. Hmm. Oh! Hi there! What's that? OH! Right! I don't own nothing!**

Zuko panted. He was starting to tire out, but would not back down. The waterbender kept up he attacks and he had to admit that she was good. _But not as good as me!_ He thought as he sent a powerful fireball at her. Just as he had intended, she sidestepped the attack and he quickly sent a wall of fire at her. But just as it was about to collide with his opponent, it evaporated. His eyes opened wide. There was NO way the girl could have waterbended her way out of that attack! His suspicions were confirmed when the steam rose, revealing an angry Aang.

"What are you doing?! You could have hurt Katara!" the avatar glared at his firebending teacher expectantly. Zuko sighed. He wasn't a rat, but he knew that Katara would just keep picking fights with him. Swallowing his pride, he bowed first to Aang, and then, reluctantly, to Katara.

"I'm sorry av-Aang. I apologize Katara". Aang nodded hesitantly, but then smiled and walked back to his room. Katara just stood there glaring and then, suddenly, he felt a peculiar feeling and couldn't move. He looked over at Katara and saw the elaborate movements she was doing with her hands. He realized that she was the one doing this and felt panic and anger.

"Let go of me!" he yelled. She narrowed her eyes and, with a flick of her wrists, forced him down to his knees. She stepped up in front of him.

"You think you can just apologize after all you've done?!" she hissed. "I don't trust you and you've done nothing but cause trouble!"

"_You're_ the one that started that fight!"

She moved her hands and he immediately felt a sharp pain in his chest. "I can kill you anytime I want", she whispered dangerously. She tightened the pressure around his heart. "So don't ever do anything that could possibly hurt Aang, cause I'll get you!"

He let out a cry of pain as she tightened her 'hold' a bit, then she let her arms hang at her sides and he fell to the ground. After she left he waited before walking back to his room.

The fight had been pointless, caused because Katara had accused him of being too rough on Aang. He shuddered at the encounter they had shared. He remembered his uncle mentioning something about a special waterbending technique called bloodbending. He had no doubt that that was what she had just done. He kneeled next to the small table in his room. His uncle stared back at him from the picture.

Right know he wished he had never betrayed any of them, especially his uncle. Sighing he got up and went to go find Aang. It was time for their first lesson.


	3. Chapter 3

"Alright, Twinkletoes, the first step to the move is to swing your arms like this". Toph swung her arms in a half circle, the stone pillar rising above the floor. Aang nodded and started to do the move, when suddenly he heard someone calling his name. Losing concentration, he swung his arms all the way around and the pillar went sideways and almost hit Toph. Looking around, he saw Zuko standing a few feet away, looking embarrassed.

"What do you think your doing?!" asked Toph angrily, "Today is supposed to be Aang's earthbending practice."

"Oh, sorry," Zuko said quietly, looking down. Aang could tell that he was still uncomfortable around Toph, who he had burned recently. But Toph wasn't as passive about the situation as Zuko; she always looked for a chance of payback. Not that the earthbender hated him, she just wanted to be even. Meanwhile Zuko was starting to walk away.

"Watch this," Toph whispered. And before Aang could stop her she had demonstrated the 'purpose' of her new move. The purpose was to send enemies flying, as they both found out. Zuko lay on his back, where he had landed, and silently fumed. He couldn't do anything to defend himself, out of fear of hurting Toph. And to attack a hurt/half-blind bender would be dishonorable. He sighed and slowly sat up_. It seems like everyone is attaking me today_, he thought.

"Toph! That wasn't necessary!" Aang said, glaring at his smiling friend. But Toph, whether she couldn't yet 'see' well or just chose to ignore the look, walked over to the firebender and offered him a hand. He looked confused, but took the offered help and stood up.

"There! Now we're even!" she declared happily. "I'm hungry, Sugar Queen!" With that, she left the two baffled boys alone.

"Uhh," Aang started, nervously, " What were you going to say?" Zuko frowned and thought. Remembering, he asked the airbender if he wanted to begin training. Aang agreed, but when they started to head towards the forest, Sokka came running to stop them.

"I wouldn't be late to breakfast if I were _you_," Sokka warned, out of breath from running out to meet them. "Katara is upset, why, I have no clue". But even as he said this he was looking at Zuko. Knowing what the water tribe sibling was thinking, Zuko made up an excuse and walked quickly to his room.

"I feel sorry for that guy", said Sokka, "Once I broke Katara's brush and she was angry for _months." _Aang nodded, Katara was known to hold a grudge.

"I mean, with all the meals that he's forced to skip, it's a wonder he's survived this long." Aang gulped. Zuko _had _been eating less and less each day, and even though to Sokka _3 meals_ wasn't enough, he had a point.

* * *

"Mai, Mai!" The sleeping girl stirred, but remained asleep. Finally Ty Lee got tired of waiting and shook her friend's arm impatiently. "Wha-" Mai looked angry at first, but seemed to remember where she was and yawned. Then she got up and looked around. She groaned when she realized that they still had five days to go till they reached the air temple.

"Umm, Mai."

"Hmm", she replied sleepily.

"I know it's still dark, but maybe we should get a move on." Ty Lee looked at Mai thoughtfully; lately she had been acting distracted, like she was deep in her own thoughts. Not that the acrobat wasn't lost in her own. They still had to come up with a plan to capture the Avatar and Zuko. Azula had said that she wanted both of them alive, but Ty Lee had heard her tell Mai that she could 'roughen up' whoever she wanted. And she knew who Azula had been referring to.

"Ty Lee, I think I have a plan." Her friend had spoken so quietly, that for a moment Ty Lee wasn't sure if she had really heard something.

"You mean a plan to capture the Avatar?"

"Yes, and _Zuko_ as well." Ty Lee nodded, urging her to go on.

"Well I know that a certain waterbender was locked up with him in Ba Sing Se... " Ty Lee's eyes widened when she heard the rest of the plan. It was perfect!

* * *

Zuko looked at his reflection in the mirror in horror. The fall caused by Toph, had resulted in some bruises and even possibly a broken rib. He flinched as he poked the rib, yep definitly broken. Sighing he started to put his shirt back on, when he noticed how much his rib cage was sticking out. _I might as well still be with Uncle, traveling like peasants with nothing to eat._

"Zuko! I just wanted to-" The young airbender stopped talking when he saw the prince; Zuko had been in the process of pulling his shirt back on, revealing the horrible bruises and unuasually bulging rib cage. Zuko quickly put on the shirt and tryed to act as if he hadn't noticed Aang staring at his poor health condition.

"So, what were you saying?" he asked vaguely. _Forget what you saw, forget what you saw, _he thought. But apparently the boy wasn't going to 'forget'.

"I'm calling Katara right now! KATARA! KATA-" his callings were called short by Zuko, who tackled him. The monk looked up at him with wide eyes.

"What are yo-"

"Shh!" Zuko warned, "Don't you dare call her! I'm fine!" Aang just narrowed his eyes. Zuko seemed to know what he was thinking, because he covered his mouth before he could yell again. But Aang was not to be detained from having him looked over by Katara, so with abig gust of wind he sent Zuko straight into the wall.

"Sorry!", he yelled before running off to find Katara, leaving Zuko on the floor. Before Zuko could get up and shut the door, Aang was back with Katara. She didn't look pleased to see him and would've just turned around and gone out, if not for Aang. He was begging her to heal Zuko.

"Fine, but only because he needs to teach you firebending." Aang nodded gratefully and darted out the door, afraid of Zuko's wrath.

"Am I going to have to carry you?" At Katara's mocking words, Zuko jumped up, but almost fell over from the pain in his side. Katara the proceded to take a basin of water and asked him to lay down.

"Umm, can you take off your shirt?" Knowing that the girl meant to heal him, Zuko grumpily did as he was told. Katara almost gasped when she saw his wounds, not to mention his musceles! Trying to hide her discomfort, she healed his bruises and rib. She was about to leave when he caught her by the wrist. She immediatly shot him a warning glare and he quickly let go.

"I just, wanted to thank you. And, I hope you can forgive me and believe me when I say I _have _changed."

"Your welcome, and I'm sorry for yesterday, I want to believe you." He looked at her gratefully and smiled. Remembering how sunk in his stomach was, she told him to join them for dinner. Normally, he would have said no, but he was _really _hungry. She smiled and walked out of his room, shutting the door behind him. _Maybe things are really going to change for the better, _Katara thought as she walked towards her room.

**Author's Notes: Yep, at least until Mai gets there! Sorry about not updating for soo long. (k not THAT long), hey I'm thinking of starting _another _story. I was reading "Hamlet" and the plot could go somewhere for a new fic. If you have any suggestions, review. Oh! I am still working on the new chapter for "A Surprise", so you'll have to wait a couple days, SORRY! Bye!**


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